Part I – Series On The History Of Colonia Village:
My mother with her mother, Colonia Village (1952). Courtesy of the author’s family collection.
In 2014, Oxnard Housing Authority began the first phase of demolishing Colonia Village, a public-housing tract in La Colonia. Just like the house on Bonita Avenue, the housing projects is an essential part of my mother’s history.
“Carlos Gomez.” Source: “70 Families Named for Colonia Village,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 17 Apr 1952.
In 1952, my grandparents, Carlos and Margarita were part of the first group of residents to live in Colonia Village. In the same year, my mother was born in a house on Bernmarda Court.
The following is an excerpt from my manuscript (rough draft), Searching for Memories in La Colonia: Migration, Labor, and Activism In Oxnard, California, 1930-1980, focusing on the history of Colonia Village.
Since the 1940s, city officials utilized numerous federal housing policies and acts, like National Housing Act of 1934, Housing Act of 1949, and Housing Act of 1954 to segregate the Mexican community on the Oxnard Plain. City officials and realtors used those acts in redlining neighborhoods and developing restrictive covenants in preventing Mexicans from moving into certain areas in Oxnard. In 1945, the Oxnard Housing Authority (OHA) was formed to deal with the substandard housing and the demands for temporary housing for the nearby naval bases.[1] By November 1945, the housing authority applied for a 600-unit slum clearance project from the federal government, its key target area was La Colonia.[2]
Two years later, the Planning Commission requested a housing survey of La Colonia. The housing authority conducted the survey and found at least 408 units lacked private baths, 304 units no private toilets and 95 units with no running water.[3] Housing Director George Wallace reported that they received “excellent cooperation” from the Mexican community and the “Colonia residents are not being criticized, but facts are merely being presented.”[4] Moreover, the housing authority pushed to expand the survey area to the entire city, with the goal of using the information to apply for a federal housing project.
By 1949, Director Wallace indicated in his annual report to the city council that 31 percent of the city housing was in substandard conditions. The Oxnard Chamber of Commerce criticized the findings as being false and demanded a correction. Wallace responded, “we have to face facts” and “the only people who would object to facing facts are slum landlords.”[5] On September 20, Director Wallace and OHA chairman Robert Beardsby called on the city to apply to the federal Public Housing Administration (PHA) for $210,000 dollars to fund a citywide survey on the housing crisis. In addition, they called for the development of 800 low-rent permanent housing units.[6] The housing authority’s goal was “not only low-rent housing but obliteration of blight in Oxnard.”[7] The 800 units “would replace existing substandard housing, and would be for low income families.”[8] The funds would develop a survey “to justify’ the need for low income housing in Oxnard.[9]
The city council suggested a public meeting to discuss the housing authority plan and the housing crisis. Mayor Carty stated, “we must be sure the people understand the need and what we are doing, and are behind us.”[10] The Housing Authority, City Council, and Planning Commission met to discuss a plan to replace slum and blighted areas of the city with new low-income housing. Director Wallace called for the hiring of an outside expert to conduct a survey of the blighted areas. The survey would be used to seek funding from the PHA. Wallace stated, “let’s not think of tearing down houses so much as building up families.”[11]
By November, the city council still took no action on the low-income housing plan after hearing public debate on the issue. Mayor Carty mentioned throughout the debate that no matter the outcome the city still needed to condemn more than 200 units “regardless of whether they are replaced by low-rent housing.”[12] The council understood the importance of developing new housing but the main issue was over the signing of the contract to receiving PHA funding. The contract would tie the city to a “certain agreement to last until the last housing bond is paid off.”[13]
There was also opposition to the low-income housing from the Oxnard Harbor District Real Estate Board. Moreover, OHA board member Jesus N. Jimmez stated that, “this [is] a human problem and it must be done [i.e. building new housing & removing slum housing] because were are also human. If you figure in the expense of crime, juvenile delinquency, tuberculosis, it is a saving proposition for the city.”[14] Furthermore, Director Wallace added, “the authority for several years has been studying this problem and now is our golden opportunity…we urge you to take action now.”[15]
On November 30, city council announced they were moving forward with a modified PHA agreement to bring low-income housing to the city.[16] A few weeks later, the PHA authorized 260 low-rent housing units to city, only if the city council agrees to it.[17] Again, they took no action and called for another public meeting on the issue. The city officials wanted to know if the citizens of Oxnard wanted public financed low-rent housing. In addition, the city moved to establish a “slum clearance program” to demolition Oxnard’s worst housing.[18] The city building inspector Hugh Clark with Joseph Maier of the county health department were assigned to focus on identifying key target areas. After several weeks, Clark and Maier identified La Colonia and downtown as key areas.[19] By January 6, 1950, the city launched a “slum clearance program” with a yearly goal of demolishing forty substandard housing within the city.[20]
By January 10, another public meeting was held on the matter of public financed low-rent housing attended by more than hundred residents. Mayor Carty oversaw the meeting with two speakers presenting both sides of the issue over new public housing. Like before, local real estate agents opposed public housing due to the “unnecessary burden on taxpayers and is not in accord with good city planning.”[21] Eugene Conser of the California Real Estate Association stated that “public housing is like crackerjack, the more you eat, the more you want.”[22] He pushed that the proposed for low-rent housing should be put to a vote. On the other side, Harold Wise of the Planning and Housing Research Associates argued that public housing was needed for low-income residents. In the end, Mayor Carty stated that the city council would take action on this issue soon.[23]
Finally, on January 17, the city council passed a resolution 3 to 1 authorizing the housing authority to develop public housing in Oxnard. Director Wallace stated “we will proceed immediately after the papers are signed to select an architect, carefully pick the right sites, and move as fast as possible on construction.”[24] Also, the city council agreed to demolish more than two hundred substandard houses within five years of the construction of the new housing project. Furthermore, the resolution gave the housing authority an $80,000 PHA loan for a preliminary plan of prospective sites and census data.[25]
By June 16, it was announced that the first 160 of the 260 low-rent housing would be built in La Colonia.[26] But, by October the housing authority decided to build all of the low-rent housing on a thirty-nine acres site east of the new Juanita School and Colonia Memorial Park in La Colonia.[27] The housing authority established it would cost more than two million dollars for the low-rent housing project. Also, they set up the starting date as July 1, 1951, with a timeline to have the first units done in eight months with the entire project done in an additional ten months.[28] Furthermore, the housing would be open to veterans first then to all residents of Oxnard.[29]
Source: Oxnard Press-Courier, 22 Dec 1951.
In 1951, the housing authority started building a new housing project on the outskirts of Oxnard. Housing officials named the project, Colonia Village. By January 2, 1952, the housing authority began to accept applications for the new housing.[30] In the following months, they received more than five hundred applications, but two hundred were found ineligible.[31] The housing project provided new housing to La Colonia residents, who were target for living in unstable housing. Furthermore, due to its location the housing project expanded the boundaries of La Colonia.
Source: Oxnard Press-Courier, 30 Aug 1952.
In March, the housing authority announced that the first ninety-two units would open in May and the other one hundred and four units by June.[32] The Oxnard Press-Courier reported that seventy-nine of ninety-two new tenants of Colonia Village came from substandard housing throughout the city.[33] On May 16, Florencio Bocanegra, a resident of Oxnard since 1923, became the first official tenant of Colonia Village.[34] The housing authority dedicated Colonia Village on August 30 to city dignitaries, housing officials, and the public.[35] Furthermore, housing officials praised the opening of Colonia Village as a key “to clean up slum conditions and provide decent low-cost housing” in Oxnard.[36]
Source: Oxnard Press-Courier, 30 Aug 1952.
Continuing down the same path into the 1960s, the housing authority expanded the boundaries of La Colonia by adding more living units to Colonia Village.[37] City officials utilized the housing authority as tool to redeveloped La Colonia, which they labeled the “slums” of Oxnard.
[1] Oxnard Housing Authority, An Golden Anniversary, 50 Years, 1985, Subject Files, Oxnard Public Library Local History Collection, Oxnard, California (hereafter cited as OLH).
[2] “Housing group proposes survey of Oxnard area,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 17 Jan 1947.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] “False! Cries C of C of housing photo,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 15 Sep 1949.
[6] “Low-rent housing urged,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 21 Sep 1949.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] “Low-rent housing plan pushed,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 22 Oct 1949.
[11] Ibid.
[12] “Council plans public debate on housing,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 2 Nov 1949.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid.
[15] Ibid.
[16] “City open war on slums,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 30 Nov 1949.
[17] “260 low-rent units are offered to Oxnard,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 21 Dec 1949.
[18] “City open war on slums,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 30 Nov 1949.
[19] “City starts slum clearance,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 6 Jan 1950.
[20] “City program dooms 40 substandard home yearly,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 18 Jan 1950.
[21] “Housing debate tonight,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 10 Jan 1950.
[22] Ibid.
[23] “100 at public housing forum,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 11 Jan 1950.
[24] “City council authorized housing deal,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 18 Jan 1950.
[25] “City council authorized housing deal,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 18 Jan 1950; “Truman ok’s Oxnard loan,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 20 Apr 1950.
[26] “Colonia to get 160 low rentals,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 16 Jun 1950.
[27] “Low rent housing in single tract,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 25 Oct 1950.
[28] “Low-income housing to cost $1,934,000,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 23 Jun 1951.
[29] “Rental scales being set for low-income housing,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 9 Aug 1951.
[30] “Christmas Greetings,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 22 Dec 1951; “Colonia housing project takes applications,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 5 Jan 1952.
[31] “Low-income home ready in mid-march,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 27 Feb 1952; “Slum housing to be torn down,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 11 Apr 1952.
[32] “Slum housing to be torn down,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 11 Apr 1952.
[33] Ibid.
[34] “First Colonia Village door opened with golden key,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 17 May 1952.
[35] “Low-rental housing to be dedicated,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 29 Aug 1952.
[36] “Colonia Village dedicated,” Oxnard Press-Courier, 29 Aug 1952.
[37] “70 low rent units planned in east Oxnard,” The Press-Courier, 24 Oct 1961; “Housing agency asks approved to add 150 units,” The Press-Courier, 26 Sep 1961.
c/s
